Washing-machine mechanism



W. H. VOSS.

WASHING MACHINE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I8, I918.

Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

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W. H. VOSS'.

WASHING MACHINE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1918.

1,41 3,695. Patented pr. 25, 1922.

3 SHtEIS-SHEET Z.

@MW/M- %@4% W. H. VOSS.

WASHING MACHINE MECHANISM.

L 0 Z .00, W m3 3 3 i 1W Q n f fll|ll I I l l ll d3 m im, v 2 F a W m UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. VOSS, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

WASHIN G-MACHIN E MECHANISM.

Application filed March 18, 1918.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM H. Voss, a citizen of the United States, residin at Davenport, in the county of Scott and i tate of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVashing- Machine Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements'in that class of machines intended for washing and wringing clothes and the like.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide a washing machine in which there will be practically little or no shock in the oscillating washing parts as they reach the end of their movement in one direction and start back upon the return movement; further to provide a novel form of main driving gear for the washing machine, and arrangement of pinion for driving the same; further to provide a novel means in the power shaft whereby the end of this shaft may swing in a limited arc to permit a pinion thereon to follow a continuous circuitous groove in the main driving gear; further to provide an arrangement of driving mecha nism in which the main driving pinion will rotate continuously in one direction, but yet will cause by direct-engagement therewith the main driving gear to rotate first in one direction and then the other; further to provide a novel arrangement of gears in which the shifting gear will be made to rotate continuously but the gear driving the washing cylinder will rotate only when said shifting gear is in driving engagement therewith; further to bring about a horizontal cylinder type machine in which the main drive shaft and associated parts are located underneath the machine and a special train of gears is located at one end of the tub to drive the washing cylinder without any shocks or jars; further to confine the main driving mechanism beneath the tub and have geared thereto for simultaneous or separate operation a wringer and Washing cylinder; further to provide a more simple, economical, and eflicacious device of the class set forth; and such further objects, advantages, and capabilities as will later more fully appear. My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I have shown therein a preferred embodiment of my invention I desire Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25 1922.

Serial N0. 223,079.

it to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a washing machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Fig. lis a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 5.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the train of driving gears and the casing thereof.

Fig. 6 is a detail. view of the specially formed gear to effect oscillation of the washing cylinder.

Referring to the drawings, my improved washing machine comprises the tub or tank 1 mounted upon supporting legs 2, between which supporting legs extend the cross braces 3. Within the tank 1 the oscillating turn meshes with the intermediate gear 7,

slidably mounted upon the stub shaft 8. The gear 7 is driven by the main driving gear 9 which is in turn operated by the pinion 10, secured upon the end of the power shaft. The gears just described are surrounded by a suitable casing 11. The power shaft just referred to comprises the two sections 12 and 13, upon the end of the section 12, of which the gear 10 is fixed to rotate therewith. These two sections of the power shaft are connected together by meansof the universal joint 14, as the result of which these sections are caused to rotate together and at the same time permit a laterally swinging movement of the outer end of section 12, as will later be more fully described. Secured upon the section-13 of the power shaft is the compound gear 15, comprising the bevel face 16, and the spur teeth 17. Engaging with the bevel face 16 is the bevel gear 18 secured upon the inner end of the shaft 19, which is caused to rotate by means of the pulley wheel 20, which is in turn driven from any suitable source of motive ower.

Meshlng with the spur teeth 17 is a gear 21 fixed upon the end of-the shaft 22, upon the outer end of which is mounted for rota tion therewith the bevel gear 23, meshing with the bevel gear 24 fixed upon the lower end of the vertical shaft 25, the latter of which mentioned gears are suitably encased by the protecting casing 26. Secured to the side of the machine and near the upper portion thereof is the wringer 27, which is operated from the vertical shaft 25, the details of which wringer and operating parts will be more fully hereinafter described.

Returning to the train of gears for operating the washing cylinder it will be seen that I have provided a shifting lever 30, which is pivotally mounted at 3131 in the gear casin 11. The portion 32 of the shifting lever which extends within the gear casing is constructed, as shown, to cooperate with the circumferential groove 33 in the hub 34 of the intermediate gear 7 in such manner that upon shifting of the upper end of the lever 30, the gear 7 will be moved laterally in an obvious manner. The width of the peripheral teeth on the gear 9 is such that the teeth of the gear 7 will be continually meshed therewith, even when moved laterally a sufficient distance to clear the teeth of the gear 6, thus insurin that the intermediate gear 7 will be continually in rotation and may be'thrown into and out of engagement with the gear 6 and control the operation thereof as desired. Referring to Figure 6, it will be seen that the inner face of the gear 9 is formed with the elevated rib or projection 40, which is concentric with the shaft 41, upon which this gear is mounted and presents in appearance an incomplete circle, the ends of this rib or projection terminating at the points 42 and 43. Extending completely around and following the contour of the rib or projection 40 is the continuous groove 44, within which groove the roller or other suitable projection 45 (see Figure 3) is constrained to travel. Secured in the outer face of the circular rib 40 is a series of pins 46, which are suitably spaced to act as gear teeth, and with which pins mesh the teeth of the driv ing pinion 10, as clearly indicated in Fig ures 4 and 6. Formed in the gear casing 11. is theslot 47 (see Figure 3) which slot accommodates the lateral swinging movement of the outer end of the power shaft section 12, and upon which section is loosely mounted the roller or sleeve 48 to facilitate movement of this shaft in the slot 47. From this construction it will be seen that as the pinion 10 is rotated by the power shaft its teeth will engage the pins 46 and cause the gear 9 to rotate. If the pinion 10 is assumed to be rotating in Figure 4 in a clockwise manner the gear 9 will be rotated in a counter-clock wise manner until the roller 45 reaches that point of the groove 44 adjacent the end 42 of the pin-carrying-rib 40. \Vhen this roller reaches this point in the groove it will be guided by the curved surface 50 to pass around the end 42 of the rib 40, and while so doing the teeth of the pinion 10 will pass around the end pin a (see Figure 6), after which the gear 5) will then be rotated in the opposite direction, due to the fact that the pinion 10 is operating from the inside of the rib 40. This rotation in a clockwise manner will then be continued until the pins 46 have been advanced by the pinion 10 until the roller 45 is close to and passes around the end 43 of the rib 40 in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the end 42. It will thus be seen that continuous rotation of the pinion 10 will in an obvious manner cause oscillation of the gear 9, which will be transmitted through the gears 7 and 6 to produce an oscillating motion in the cylinder 4, within which the clothes are being washed. A circular projection 51 is provided on the inner face of the gear 9 to complete the inner portion of the groove 44.

The universal joint 14 comprises the hub 52 which is provided with the arms 53, carrying pins 54 which pins are inserted in the sleeve 55, which sleeve is mounted in the usual manner upon the spherical head 56. The construction of the gear cas ing 57 for the gears 17, 18 and 21 is such that it may be readily bolted, riveted or the like to the cross members of the braces 3, the portions 58 and 59 of which casing are enlarged asshown to lessen the amount of machining necessary to bring about the fit of shafts 13 and 22 in their respective bearings.

. In the operation of my improved machine it will be seen from the foregoing that power is supplied through the belt wheel 20 to the shaft 19, and through beveled gears to the power shaft 12 which rotates .the pinion 10 and causes it to engage with the pins 46 and by virture of the roller 45 following the groove 44 will cause the main driving gear 9 to oscillate, which oscillation is transmitted through gears 6 and 7 to the cylinder within the tub, and the operation of. which cylinder may be controlled by shifting the clutch control lever 30. At the same time power will also be transmitted through the medium of the shaft 22 and gear wheels 23 and 24 to the wringer shaft 25.

By the above described arrangement of parts for oscillating the washing cylinder I have eliminated the very undesirable shock occurring in machines now on the market at the instant when the rotation of the washing cylinder is changing from one direction to the other. Thisisbrought about by the fact that the cylinder as it nears the end of rotation in one direction, instead of being suddenly stopped, is gradually and gently brought to rest by virtue of the curved surface 50 easily and smoothly guiding the roller 45 around the end 42 or 43 of the circular rib 40, without the production of any shock.

Matter shown in the present case and not described and claimed herein is described and claimed in my co-pending divisional application, Serial No. 262,782, filed Nov. 16, 1918.

Having now described my invention I claim:

1. In a cylinder washing machine, a train of .gears for operating the washing parts, one of said gears being shiftable to throw the washing parts into or out of operation, the driving gear of said train having pins projecting from one face and forming an incomplete circle, a pinion mounted on a power shaft and adapted to operatively en-- gage said pins, and means to hold said pinion in engagement first with the outside of said incomplete circle of pins and then on the inside whereby to oscillate said driving gear and in turn said cylinder.

2. In a Washing machine, an oscillating cylinder, a shaft for said cylinder having a gear wheel thereon, a wide faced driving gear, an intermediate gear slidably mounted on its shaft and in mesh with both of said other gears, means for oscillating said driving gear, a casing for said gears, and a shifting lever pivotally mounted in said casing to shift said intermediate gear whereby said intermediate gear will move laterally out of engagement with said first mentioned gear but yet remain in on agement with the wide face of said driving ear.

b In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

.WILLIAM H. VOSS. 

